Woodies often fly around dawn and dusk, so set up early. If you see birds approaching and you feel the need to call, do so sparingly. (Shutterstock photo)
October 03, 2025
By Matt Crawford
There are two duck blinds within a few hundred yards of each other on the creek we hunt. We call one “The Gentlemen’s Blind” because it’s a short, gentlemanly stroll from the parking spot (it’s certainly not a reference to those of us who hunt from it). The other is “The Oaks” because, well, it’s nestled between two oak trees.
The Oaks is where you want to be in the early season. There, hidden among the oak trees, you often have plenty of chances to shoot your daily limit of wood ducks. It doesn’t matter how well you call. The size of your decoy spread doesn’t seem to influence your success rate. You certainly don’t need the latest camo patterns or the most innovative new shotgun. The place is a wood duck magnet, and that counts for a whole lot.
As the season progresses and the ducks grow wary, The Oaks can lose its appeal a bit. But even then, it’s the one spot on the creek for your best chance at the wood ducks still hanging around. That’s when a good decoy spread seems to be the difference—and an effective decoy spread for wood ducks is easier than you might think.
Good news, and more good news. First, wood ducks do respond to decoys. Second, you don’t need to break the bank to hunt them. Heck, in a lot of cases, you don’t even need a boat. What is required is a basic understanding of wood duck feeding and flying patterns, but just a few key points will help you put more woodies in the bag.
Advertisement
PRETTY AND POPULAR According to U.S. Fish & Wildlife data, wood ducks are among the most harvested duck species in the Atlantic Flyway annually. While there is limited data on long-term wood duck population trends, what does exist indicates minimal fluctuation in their numbers year over year. For the 2025–26 waterfowl seasons, hunters in Eastern states are generally allowed three wood ducks per day, but do check your local regulations before venturing out.
Wood ducks’ popularity is traced to several factors. First, they are early-season birds in the Northeast, meaning they haven’t been pressured and are available at a time when the greatest number of hunters are afield.
Second is their striking appearance. The iridescent plumage of drake woodies shimmers with hues of green, purple and chestnut, while their scarlet eyes and ornate head crests make them one of the most stunning members of the bird world.
Advertisement
“They’re gorgeous,” says Andrew Bouton, a waterfowl biologist with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department who has studied wood ducks across much of the United States. “Even the hens are really pretty. Compared to the drakes, their colors are a bit muted, but they have these really subtle plumage patterns that are striking.”
Thirdly, wood ducks taste great.
“Personally,” says Bouton, “I find them to be one of the better-tasting ducks. Their diet gives them a nice flavor.” Coincidentally, their diet is also a key factor in where and how to set up for them.
The key to any good wood duck setup is being where birds already want to go. In fall, that usually means near oak trees dropping acorns in the water. Toss decoys—a half dozen to a dozen—in water about a foot deep. Place some upwind and some downwind, but leave space for birds to land. Use more drake decoys than hens. Create a concealed hide or blind, and be set up well before shooting light. (Illustration By Peter Sucheski) CRACKING THE NUT Among waterfowl, there are few species linked as closely to a single food source as wood ducks are to acorns. The most reliable wood duck setups will always be found near oak trees. Those that grow along the shores of creeks and rivers, small lakes and beaver ponds are prime choices.
“Acorns are definitely their focus in the fall,” says Bouton. “In Nevada, I’ve seen them key in on Russian olives, and they will eat aquatic invertebrates and vegetation, but acorns are always going to be key.”
Once you’ve found their feeding site, the best wood duck decoy spread is going to be minimal. You don’t need many decoys, and you don’t have to put them in deep water.
“We use both wood ducks and teal decoys together, always a half dozen and sometimes a full dozen,” says Bradley Carleton, a former waterfowl guide. “Like with other ducks, you want to put some upwind of where the landing zone is, and we will use a wood duck spinning wing decoy that we place upwind. However, we don’t use many decoys, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Wood ducks are usually in small groups, so anything over a handful of decoys looks unnatural.”
The trickiest part of placing wood duck decoys, says Carleton, is putting them in a place where they can be seen by ducks flying by.
“I like them in about a foot of water or less, ideally where the acorns are dropping into the water, but you might have to position them in a place where there’s good visibility,” Carleton says. “We also tend to see more drake wood ducks than hens, so we try to mimic that in our decoy setup.”
FINAL POINTS Setting up a small decoy spread near waterside oak trees is one primary ingredient to wood duck success, but Bouton and Carleton offer a few more tips.
“They are lowlight movers,” says Bouton, meaning wood ducks are often the first ducks to show up in the morning but equally as likely to fly overhead after shooting hours have ended.
Wood duck setups are fairly straightforward. Identify an area that birds should want to frequent, toss out a few decoys and tuck into a blind or makeshift hide. (Shutterstock photo) Carleton will use a call, although he’s careful not to rely on it too much.
“A wood duck call does seem to get their attention,” he says. “There’s no need to call and coerce them like you would a mallard, but you do want them to notice you when they come whipping down a creek channel.”
Bouton puts less stock in calling and relies more on finding the right location.
“Calling probably does work to some degree,” the biologist says, “but once you’ve found a good spot with food sources close by, that’s where the wood ducks will be consistently.”
And that’s exactly where you should be, too.
This article was featured in the October 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
